Page 6 of Summer People
Fighting the sigh working its way up my chest, I step out of the truck and face Flora.
“It happened again.” She points a long red nail at the roofline of the tiny white cape.
I don’t need to look up to know there’s a gray puff stuck up there.
“I’ll get him.” I hold in my huff of frustration. At this point, I’m so intimately acquainted with the damn rodent that I’m aware of its status as a him.
“You’re my hero.” She shoots me a crooked-tooth smile.
Fucking ridiculous. I’m not fighting a war or keeping a town safe. I’m no one’s hero. I’m just the man who is going to once again yank a fat squirrel out of a rain gutter. I lean into my truck, flick open the center console, and remove the gloves that do little to protect my hands and arms from the feral beast. Then I stomp across the road to Flora’s house.
“I’ll hold the ladder, Sheriff,” she offers, like she does every time.
I don’t need her help, and her offer has nothing to do with being helpful anyway.
“Did you hear that Elizabeth Sweet arrived on the garbage boat?”
I grunt in Flora’s direction and leave it at that. This won’t be the last time someone in town brings it up.
“Andshe didn’t even have a coat.”
Add that to what I can only imagine will be a long list of fun details I don’t care about. Though I can only imagine I’ll end up having to give the woman my coat so she doesn’t die of hypothermia.
I spend the next five minutes ignoring her yammering as I wrestle with the damn squirrel who keeps trying to squeeze his entirely too large body into the freaking gutter.
The second he’s free, he squirms out of my grasp and takes off with a running leap off the roof. For as thrilled as he is to escape, one would think he’d stop getting himself stuck like this. But I can almost guarantee I’ll be back to rescue him again tomorrow.
“Thanks so much for your help. I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”
I grunt. Because what am I supposed to say?My pleasure? Fuck no, it’s not a pleasure.Happy to help? Yeah, no. I’m definitely not.
“Want to come in for a drink? I picked up a six-pack of Balmy Days.”
“Gotta get to Sutton.” Without turning to see her pout, I stomp back to the truck.
I’ve got two boxes in my arms and am hardly through the door when Doris starts in on me. “Did you see she’s here?”
I fight a sigh and drop the boxes on the counter.
“Not only did she come on the trash boat, but she didn’t have a coat. And worse? She was in heels.” Her eyes bulge. “Heels, Sheriff.”
What the fuck am I supposed to say to that? Heels aren’t a crime. Completely impractical? Of course. But nothing about Hollywood’s golden girl will be practical.
“Only two more,” I inform her as I step outside. Then I can haul ass away from the woman who never shuts up.
Next, I roll the five hundred feet to the inn, where Sutton is helping Mrs. K get ready for opening weekend.
If not for Sutton, I wouldn’t be doing this shit.
I swallow back the pain that comes with thoughts of my brother and sister-in-law. Life isn’t fair, that’s for damn sure. I’m all Sutton has, and she deserves the life her parents wanted for her.
I might have left Monhegan at eighteen with no intention of looking back, but my brother loved it here. He got joy out of pulling squirrels out of the gutters and dealing with fucking goats. He loved the people. He loved the bullshitting and laughs.
I shake my head.
He was charming as fuck. I swear he got all the genes that make for a well-liked, social person, so by the time I came around, none were left.
With two more boxes in my arms, I stomp up the four steps to the large porch. The white rocking chairs have already been placed in front of the windows so the guests can enjoy the ocean view. The view I don’t bother to take in. It does nothing for me.
